The other day, my husband came home from Ashiyoshi Driveway looking very excited. He said, "What's wrong with you!When asked, "What is theYou know, they let me drive a 73 Carrera!He said, "I'm so excited," and from there he kept talking for about half an hour with no excitement (laughs).
So, my husband wrote an article about his impressions of driving the 73 Carrera.
Forty-six years ago.
In 1973, Porsche developed one car to obtain homologation to compete in Group 4 of the then World Championship.911 Carrera RS 2.7 based on the 2.4L 911S with a lighter weight and a 2.7L tuned engineThe company launched the
The 911/83 engine, which was installed along with thorough weight reduction, produced 210 hp at 6300 rpm and 26.0 kgm at 5100 rpm, which were unparalleled specifications at the time.
Initially released in a limited edition of 500 units, it is believed that 1,580 units were eventually produced.(numbers are subject to various theories)The following is a list of the most common problems with the "C" in the "C" column.The first 911 to bear the name Carrera.It is also famous as aCars that are the first ancestors of today's GT3, GT3RS, etc.It is.
This time, we were allowed to test drive theIt was an incredibly valuable piece, one of only 13 officially imported into Japan at the time.I had seen it several times before, but this time, the owner made a special offer to let me try it, and I decided to take it for a test drive.
The body color is the factory color, arbazin (eggplant), a very classy color. The rear fenders are overhanging, and the rear engine hood is what is called aducktailIt is a "one of a kind" and the lines of the car viewed from the side are very beautiful.
In fact, this is not just any 73 Carrera. According to the ownerThe car is said to have been officially imported and then tuned using genuine Porsche parts, with the engine tuned to the same condition as the race-spec Carrera RSR 2.8, with an output of over 300 PS.The car is almost like a Carrera RSR 2.8. Yes, it is almost a Carrera RSR 2.8 inside.
The interior was thoroughly stripped of its upholstery, and the interior was covered with a genuine Porsche MATTER aluminum roll cage of the time.The seats are fixed bucket, and of course there is no heater or air conditioning.Therefore, theIn the winter, for example, it is freezing cold and you need to drive with a blanket wrapped around your feet.He said.
Fearfully, I get into the car. I usually drive various famous cars, but on this occasion, I was indeed very nervous. I sit down on the compact seat and secure my waist with the two-point seatbelt.
The engine awakens easily and with great fanfare after very little cranking.There is no sound insulation, and the sound of the engine directly echoes in the room.Fearfully, I step on the clutch and put the car into reverse gear to exit the parking slot.
Slowly, he connects the clutch and checks the meet point. Then the car starts to move smoothly.I thought they would be more nervous and unwieldy, but they are not.The car is shifted back into first gear and the clutch is mated slowly and almost at idle, and at the same time, the accelerator is lightly opened.
."What, you can drive so normally?My first impression was that the car was very easy to drive, and I did not find it difficult or nervous, at least not in my opinion. I put the car into 2nd and 3rd gear, and it accelerates. I have no complaints about the power.
although it is most likely thatSince this is a very valuable car, we naturally do not run it at high rpm.
Even so, it has ample torque from the low RPM range. And the lightweight body, which weighs less than one ton, carries the car at speed. Shifting is not a "click, click, click" feeling like in modern sports cars, but rather a "gnu, gnu, gnu" feeling. The transmission of this 73 Carrera is the so-calledPorsche SynchroIt is said that the 915 model of the There is no such thing as being hard to put in while running.Sensation of being sucked into the middle of a gnawing sensationI was enjoying the shift feeling, wondering if this was what they call the famous "feeling of cutting butter with a hot knife. I enjoyed the shift feeling, wondering if this was what is famously referred to as "the feeling of cutting butter with a hot knife.
I had imagined the ride to be stiffer, but it was not at all. Naturally, the stiffer the better.The strong body, even reinforced by a roll cage, seems to absorb excessive vibrations and shocks well.Elephants.
The car flows through the Hoden S-Curve. I thought the handling was ginormous and sharp, but it is on the gentle side, such as at the beginning of the cut. I thought for a moment, "What's that? I thought for a moment.Yes, this is a 911, an RR. Moreover, this is a pure blood 911 among pure bloods.If the driver just turns the steering wheel in a lazy manner with the accelerator normally held constant, the car will not open up to the driver at all. The car will not open up to the driver at all.If you're going to drive like that, do it somewhere else.The car is just saying, 'I'm not going to do it,'" he said.
I regained my composure and tried to do subtle gas pedal work while being properly aware of the load. Then, I found myself in a situation where I had to use theOhhhh, it's a 911 after all!I can't help but talk to the owner in the passenger seat.
Normally, when I think of air-cooled Porsches, I think ofIn my case, I drive a 964 Carrera 2, and the way I drive, or rather maneuver, is very similar.It is amazingly similar. The theory of "back off a bit here, turn the steering wheel, and step on it here" is directly applicable to the 73 Carrera.
Since it is the same RR 911, it is only natural, but my impression was that the driving feel was like a lighter version of the 964 body with the added sharpness of the GT3, and I was nothing but impressed.I was surprised that Porsche has been so consistent in making cars in spite of the different times and generations.I was again astonished by the engineering of the project, and I had to stop talking.
Even on long straights such as the Ashiu Tunnel, the driver can control the speed any way he or she wants by simply adjusting the accelerator pedal force, and there is no sense of dissatisfaction with the sense of power. On the other hand, straight line stability and steering wheel stability are better than those of the 964, which is the successor to the 964, and modern Porsches.
Perhaps it is even more so because of the fact that it is a very lightweight vehicle.
The brakes are said to be the same as those used on the 917 racing car of the time, and are believed to be equivalent to those used on the 930 Turbo. As for the feeling, the brakes are quite firm and do not work at all with a half-hearted effort as if you were driving a family car.We need to step in, firmly and consciously.
I thought this feeling of needing to step on the brakes was a bit similar to the feeling of the carbon brakes on the McLaren 650S.
As we approached the latter half of the test drive, I finally became accustomed to the car and was able to handle the winding roads to the right and left at will. I can drive very smoothly and comfortably. And, theThe exhaust note and engine sound coming from the back is exceptional.It is no longer the sound of a racing car, and there is nothing exaggerated or staged about it, but it is a very pleasant explosion.
After all, an ultra-high-performance engine needs no makeup. I think the most beautiful sound is the sound of the engine without makeup.
After the test drive, I turned off the engine and got out of the car, trying to calm my still-excited body.It is unlikely that such a car will ever be made again. Among Porsche fans, it is an important cultural asset, or even a world heritage car.It was truly a valuable experience to be able to ride in such a famous car this time.
As the owner said.I would love to see cars like this passed on to future generations.He said, "I am very happy to be able to do this. In Japan, taxes are high on older cars, and it is never easy to maintain a classic car.We need to carefully retain these masterpieces and prevent them from leaking overseas.
Thank you to the owner for allowing us to drive this very valuable car. I think it is a very wonderfully balanced and tuned 73 Carrera. Although it was said that some people say it would be better to return it to the original 73 Carrera, I think this is a complete car. Please keep it in this condition and ride it carefully for a long time.
